Then, I need to cut/shape it to, say, get around a corner. How does one proceed?

Cut the cover, cut away and remove foam to approximate the shape, test for fit, trim excess cover, install? If so, how does one re-attach cut the cover for a nice finished edge? Expoxy, rubber glue, contact cement, etc?

Any insight appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Fred Little

10-30-2008, 12:48 PM

Start with a large cardboard box.

Cut box to match one-half tatami.

Measure the corner to be cut.

Mark the cut out on the cardboard.

Measure the corner to be cut again and check cardboard.

Cut cardboard to fit corner.

Check fit. Adjust with either additional small cuts or duct-tape additions as necessary.

Affix cardboard to end of tatami to be cut and use as pattern to cut tatami.

Remember, you can always cut more, but you can never cut less.

Good luck!

FL

Nick P.

10-30-2008, 01:04 PM

Fred! You are the man!
I was looking at your home dojo pictures just last night...how ironic.

I would have thought wrapping the cover over the cut would help keep it looking good; guess not.

Next question: with what to cut? Big utility knife? Circular saw? Light saber?

Fred Little

10-30-2008, 01:37 PM

Fred! You are the man!
I was looking at your home dojo pictures just last night...how ironic.

I would have thought wrapping the cover over the cut would help keep it looking good; guess not.

Next question: with what to cut? Big utility knife? Circular saw? Light saber?

Nick, there's always room for improvement of somebody else's method.

If you're concerned about a clean corner and want the cover to wrap, then cut from the underside. (Be careful not to reverse your guide pattern) Don't cut quite all the way through (if you use an extendible snap-blade knife, you can control the depth of the cut by setting the length of the blade) but overlap the two cuts on the inside corner. Snap the foam along the cut and peel the foam off the vinyl cover.

What works really, really well (if a) you're not concerned about cutting through the vinyl and b) you have a way to raise the tatami off the floor while it's being cut) is a stainless steel serrated bread knife. Otherwise, I'd go with a snap-blade utility knife, the wider the blade the better.

Good luck!

FL

Nick P.

10-30-2008, 02:04 PM

Most appreciated and thank you.

jimbaker

10-31-2008, 09:39 AM

If it's a zebra type mat, they have a procedure for cutting and folding the edge. Worked for us.
http://www.zebramats.com/trim.html

Nick P.

10-31-2008, 12:45 PM

Thanks Jim, also most helpful.

Howard Popkin

10-31-2008, 12:49 PM

Utility knives wren't good, but a 10 dollar russel-dexter filet knife used by fisherman did the job perfectly.